Motor road-vehicle.



' G. FORNAGA.

MOTOR ROAD VEHICLE.

APPLIUATIONFILBD Nov. zo, 1907.

1,054, 1 O4. Patented Feb. 25, 1913.

W/TNESSE'S: /NVE/ VTORI f @e f /W i/tig! UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTQ,

GUIDO FORNACA, OF TURIN, ITALY, ASSIG-NOR, BY IVIESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO F.A. T., OF POUGI-IKEEPSIE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

. MOTOR ROAD-VEHICLE.

i specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 25, 31913.

Application filed November y2O, 1907. Serial No. 402,984.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GUIDO FoRNAoA, engineer, a subject of the King ofItaly, residing in Turin, .Corso Dante 35, Italy, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Motor Road-Vehicles, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to motor road vehicles in which the transmissiongear is operated through a universal joint, and the said invention hasfor its especial object to simplify the construction of the rear portionof such vehicles and to increase its resistance and durability.

In motor road vehicles which are provided with universal-jointtransmission, `the rear axle is formed by a middle casing which isusually cast in two parts, the said casing having' two cast, or welded,tubes bolted to it the outer ends of suoli tubes supporting thespring-brackets. In the interior of the casing is the speed reducingbevel gear, the differential gear and the two parts of the divided axlethe outer ends of which respectively support the wheels. The maintransmitting shaft, which is connected wit-h the driving-shaft by meansof a simple or double, universal-joint, protrudes fro-m the said casingfree, o-r with a protecting cover, while, in order to give the necessarylateral stiffness to the rear axle, the said shaft is provided with areinforcing arm, single, or double, journaled on the frame of thevehicle. When the rear part of this frame is formed of a large number ofparts which are united only by meansnof joints, or bolts, it does notconstitute a sufficiently stii'system, capable of preventing thedeformations consequent upon jarring action. Y

I will describe the present invention with reference to the accompanyingdrawing, Figure l being a plan and Fig. 2 an end view both partly insection.

The casing is made of stamped plate, com

posed of two parts S and S of corresponding figure in plan and havingthe form of a cross whose arms constitute'the rear bridge, while thestem forms a reinforcing arm which is connected to the frame. The twoparts of the casing S S are provided with lateral flanges by which theyare fixed toy gether by means of bolts, and nuts, the said flangesconstituting a reinforcing-rib giving strength against lateral strain.The central part constitutes a box, in which are situated thespeed-reducing bevel gear system R R, and the differential gear D, whilethe parts A and A ofthe rear axle are supported at their inner end bythe usual ball-bearings, C and C, which, with the usual correspondingcollar-thrust-bearings, are each of them situated inside a double-angedcase (B and 13) supported by two half-rings which are riveted to thecasing so as to tix the cases in correct position. On the ends of eachof the cross-arms is mounted a case P and 13) each of which is rigidlyfixed to a respective arm of thefprincipal casi-ng by means of bolts;each of the said cases (P P) being provided at its extreme end, withgrooves, for the exterior ball-bearings K of the respective parts A A ofthe rear axle, while the exterior part of each of the said cases ismounted (with a somewhat loose fit) in the centralbearings F and Frespectively of the suspension spring of the frame.

The main transmission shaft G, which is provided at one end with thebeveled pinion R and at the other end with one of the forks of theuniversal-joint, is supported inside the casing, by the ball-bearing T(fixed to the casing as mentioned with regard to the aforesaidball-bearings), and by the end bearing T, while near the forward end ofthe casing there is fixed, externally, a sleeve F on which is looselymounted the twoarmed bearing M capable of oscillating on the journals Nand N carried by the rigid part of the fra-me and having their axes in.

the same horizontal plane with the center of the universal joint.

The casing, S and S, constitutes a perfectly stiff system, and is nearlythe equivalent, as regards strength, of a solid of uniform resistance.The whole system of the rear bridge can freely follow the oscillation ofthe suspension-springs of the vehicle oscillating in a verticaldirection upon a cenj ter situated -in the lane of the center of theuniversal joint while lateral strains, consequent on jarring action, aretransmitted vby means of the said casing to the bearing M fixed to therigid part of the frame.

The construction Ahereinbefore described has also the advantage that themounting of all the devices which are situated inside the casing, can bedone without difliculty and'with the advantage of seeing the whole lowerportion of the casing, and its contents with the result of simpler andmore exact work. What I claim is:

A1. An automobile axle composed oit two longitudinal intermediatelyenlarged 'l'- shaped sheet metal halves having horizontal fiangesextending along each edge and adapted to t to form a tubular body having0pposite stidening ribs said halves being adapted proximate the twoopposite ends for carrying spring seats, and fastenings for holding saidhalves together.

2. A tubular automobile axle comprising longitudinal, flanged platesections each having an intermediate enlarged portion the ends of saidsections being adapted to re ceive bearing supports, fastening devicesfor securing said sections together, and a tubular shaft casingextending Jfrom said enmanina larged intermediate portion and carried inpart by 'each section.

3. A pressed steel tubular automobile axle and driving shaft casingcomprising a plurality of flanged iT-shaped segments, the opposite endsof the axle carrying bearing supports.

4. As an article of manufacture, a channeled 'l'-shaped stamping for anautomobile driving axle, the said stamping having flat external stieningianges along the edges,

the channels being of increasing depth-and g width from each end towardthe junction.

lin witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

opinov nommen.

l Witnesses:

JOHN BAZETTA, Louis ALLAN.

